January 12, 2011

Almost as Good As the Willis Startle Reflex

So last night, Maddie and I were coming out of her school at 8:30 pm after her book club (story to follow shortly over there in a photo album to the left) and it was cold. 2º cold, plus wind chill of whatever ridiculous number it was. As we walked to the car, I started making my cold weather noise. At first Maddie didn't say anything; it is mostly an involuntary thing, meaning I don't fully realize I'm doing it, exactly, until it's pointed out to me. I can probably stop it, but as it gets started, it just happens. Maddie then pointed out that I sounded like a horse.

Suddenly I got a case of the giggles, because somewhere in my short-term memory it occurred to me I had heard a story about a cold weather whinny recently. I was definitely whinny-ing. But whatever, my mind is full of Hansel and Gretel-like walks through the forest, most without the aid of bread crumbs to figure out the original source of the story. I got myself together once the heat was on in the car and stopped making obnoxious noises.

But then: a few minutes ago it occurred to me where I read the cold weather whinny reference:

"It was the first time all winter I've been miserably cold - shivering in the car, making the embarrassing Willis cold-weather whinny, etc."

Katherine. December 15, 2010, on her blog. This is a hereditary thing. Ha! Ha! How is it that I've never identified this seasonal cousin of the WSR?

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Almost as Good As the Willis Startle Reflex

So last night, Maddie and I were coming out of her school at 8:30 pm after her book club (story to follow shortly over there in a photo album to the left) and it was cold. 2º cold, plus wind chill of whatever ridiculous number it was. As we walked to the car, I started making my cold weather noise. At first Maddie didn't say anything; it is mostly an involuntary thing, meaning I don't fully realize I'm doing it, exactly, until it's pointed out to me. I can probably stop it, but as it gets started, it just happens. Maddie then pointed out that I sounded like a horse.

Suddenly I got a case of the giggles, because somewhere in my short-term memory it occurred to me I had heard a story about a cold weather whinny recently. I was definitely whinny-ing. But whatever, my mind is full of Hansel and Gretel-like walks through the forest, most without the aid of bread crumbs to figure out the original source of the story. I got myself together once the heat was on in the car and stopped making obnoxious noises.

But then: a few minutes ago it occurred to me where I read the cold weather whinny reference:

"It was the first time all winter I've been miserably cold - shivering in the car, making the embarrassing Willis cold-weather whinny, etc."

Katherine. December 15, 2010, on her blog. This is a hereditary thing. Ha! Ha! How is it that I've never identified this seasonal cousin of the WSR?